- Electronic Frontier Foundation urges Wisconsin lawmakers to oppose age verification law
- The proposal would force all adult websites to block VPN connections
- Lawmakers vote on the AB 105/SB 130 bill today
Wisconsin lawmakers are set to vote on a controversial age verification law today, as digital rights advocates urge politicians to vote down the proposal.
In an open letter published Tuesday, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) described the legislation as “a spectacularly bad idea.” The bill — formally Wisconsin AB 105/SB 130 — has led to backlash, particularly because of its provisions surrounding the use of VPN services.
Under the proposed rules, any service provider operating in Wisconsin that “knowingly and intentionally” distributes material deemed harmful to minors would be required to block all VPN users.
Wisconsin’s age verification bill: What digital rights experts say
EFF notes that the proposed rules regarding virtual private networks and similar circumvention software—specifically within section 100.76 (2)(c)—are “of particular concern.”
Experts point out that VPNs are not only used to bypass filters, they are essential everyday tools for students, remote workers, businesses and law enforcement seeking basic digital security.
It remains unclear how lawmakers intend to enforce the blocking requirements. According to the EFF, blocking VPN users located in Wisconsin is “infeasible” from a technical standpoint because websites cannot reliably determine the true origin of a VPN connection.
“As a result, covered sites would face an impossible choice: either block all VPN users everywhere, disrupt access for millions of people nationwide, or cease offering services in Wisconsin altogether,” the EFF wrote.
The group also argues that these demands are ultimately toothless. Experts believe that users intent on circumventing the restrictions will simply switch to non-commercial VPNs, open proxies or cheap virtual servers, rendering the law ineffective against those it aims to restrict.
The Wisconsin Senate votes on SB 130/AB 105, a problematic age verification law that effectively bans VPN access to certain websites. If you live in Wisconsin, now is the time to contact your state senator and urge them to vote down this bill…18 February 2026
The risk of VPN use is only one aspect of the law that concerns digital rights practitioners. According to the EFF, the bill “creates serious privacy and data security risks” by requiring online services to collect highly sensitive user data.
Like similar age verification laws, this would force platforms to require government ID scans, financial details or biometric data from their users.
The EFF notes that while the bill prohibits companies from “knowingly retaining” this information, it does not completely prevent unnecessary data retention. Experts warn that this could lead to widespread abuse and data breaches if the sensitive databases are targeted by hackers.
Finally, critics argue that the bill’s definition of “harmful to minors” is dangerously broad. As currently written, all sexually explicit content must be age-appropriate if it is deemed to lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.
Experts believe these vague criteria “encourage over-censorship, stifle lawful speech and expose companies to unpredictable enforcement.”
Wisconsin is not alone in its shift toward viewing VPNs as an obstacle to implementing age verification rather than an important security tool.
Across the Atlantic, the UK government is also investigating restrictions on children’s VPN use. Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently announced plans to “close loopholes” that undermine online security protections, potentially including age-restricting VPN services themselves.
Digital rights advocates warn that these moves represent a significant shift in how democratic nations treat encryption. While such restrictions have historically been associated with authoritarian regimes, the current flurry of legislative activity suggests that a successful proposal in one region could provide a blueprint for similar restrictions worldwide.
We have reached out to the EFF for further comment and will update this page as more information becomes available.
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